Even Daily Coffee Drinkers Can Boost Athletic Performance With Caffeine

Drinking caffeinated coffee has been scientifically linked to improved physical performance. And for years, many scientists, coaches, and athletes believed that an athlete had to abstain for days or weeks before an event to gain a boost.

Bruno Gualano, a professor of physiology and nutrition at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, wanted to test that assumption — not only as a scientist, but as a recreational cyclist and committed coffee drinker (“as a good Brazilian, coffee is part of my diet,” he told the Times). He thought that even a daily coffee drinker could benefit from taking caffeine before an event, without previously cutting consumption.

First, researchers carefully accounted for caffeine consumption. Then, they compared the rides of 40 competitive male cyclists three times: after taking 400 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to about four cups of regular coffee); after taking a placebo; and again after no pill at all.

They found that that the riders performed significantly better when caffeinated — nearly 1.5 minutes faster than when they took nothing.

Most interesting, the results were consistent whether the riders were normally light, moderate, or heavy caffeine users. Abstaining in the days before showed no impact on the caffeine’s athletic benefits.

If you are looking to use caffeine to boost your workout, Gualano suggests starting with small doses: One cup of coffee an hour before exercise may be enough to ease and improve your subsequent workout.